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Smart Classrooms on Display at USD’s Technology Open House

Find out how classrooms will be “smarter” than ever before at the University of San Diego’s eighth annual Technology Showcase on Friday, Feb. 15. The first-ever Student Technology Showcase takes place from 10 a.m. to noon followed by the faculty event from noon to 4 p.m, this time including a keynote presentation. Both events take place in the University Center Forums.

“Navigating Technology” is the theme of this year’s open house that includes presentations by the iPad Classroom Project faculty participants, where students in courses researching learning outcomes ranging from English to biology to political science have been provided devices for an entire semester. Student Technology Assistants also take the stage to discuss their role working with faculty to build technology-based projects used in curriculum.

“We are excited to invite our students to this year’s open house to demonstrate how innovative, cost-effective technologies can create the ‘digital classroom’ open 24/7 that significantly improves teaching, learning and research opportunities for both them and our faculty,” said Shahra Meshkaty, senior director of Academic Technology Services. Technology is rapidly changing and enhancing learning both in brick-and-mortar classrooms, as well as the online environment.

Other technologies on display will include interactive whiteboards, lectern displays, document cameras, and even innovative classroom furniture designed to transform traditional learning spaces. Technologies such as Blackboard and mobile devices extend learning beyond the classroom, keeping students engaged with their peers while performing fieldwork and research.

The afternoon’s keynote speaker is Tracy Mitrano, director of IT Policy and Institute for Computer Policy and Law at Cornell University who teaches a course “Culture, Law, and Politics of the Internet” and will address copyright and scholarly publication issues with a faculty audience.

About the University of San Diego

The University of San Diego sets the standard for an engaged, contemporary Catholic university where innovative Changemakers confront humanity’s urgent challenges. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In February 2016, USD launched the public phase of
Leading Change: The Campaign for USD, which represents the most ambitious fundraising effort in the history of the university and builds upon the strong philanthropic momentum achieved by USD in recent years. In September 2016, USD introduced
Envisioning 2024, a strategic plan that capitalizes on the university’s recent progress and aligns new strategic goals with current strengths to help shape a vision for the future as the university looks ahead to its 75th anniversary in the year 2024.